Sri Lanka off to steady start after Younus ton

Sri Lanka got off to a steady start in reply to Pakistan's first-innings score of 451, reaching 99 for 1 by stumps on Day 2 of the first Test in Galle on Thursday (August 7).

Upul Tharanga was the batsman dismissed, trapped leg before for 19 in the fifth over from Junaid Khan. The left-hander reviewed the umpire's decision, but TV replays revealed that the ball would have gone on to hit the leg stump. Kaushal Silva and Kumar Sangakkara then consolidated the innings, adding 75 for the second wicket.

There were seven boundaries in Silva's 94-ball 38, while Sangakkara (36 not out) was more circumspect and worked predominantly in ones and twos.

Pakistan, resuming at its overnight score of 261 for 4, reached 347 for 5 at lunch courtesy a fifth-wicket stand of 137 between Younus and Asad Shafiq.

Dilruwan Perera, the offspinner, was the star of the day with the ball for Sri Lanka, dismissing Younus after his 331-ball 177. At that point, Pakistan was 359 for 6, as Perera started to run through the lower order.

Abdur Rehman, the No. 8 batsman, struck six fours and a six while making 50, his second Test half-century, before being caught by Sangakkara off Perera.

Soon after, Perera had Saeed Ajmal and Junaid caught at leg-slip by Mahela Jayawardena, taking the retiring former Sri Lankan captain's tally to 202 Test catches - only eight behind Rahul Dravid, who holds the record for the most catches (210) taken by a fielder other than a wicketkeeper.